CHICAGO — Paul Pierce scored 22 points, and the Washington Wizards beat the Chicago Bulls 105-99 on Wednesday night despite a season-high 32 points from Derrick Rose.
John Wall scored 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, Bradley Beal added 17, and the Wizards knocked off the Central Division leaders for the second time in six days.
Washington trailed by as much as 11 in the first half but outscored Chicago 32-19 in the third quarter to take a seven-point lead into the fourth. The Wizards hung on after Chicago pulled within one, giving the Bulls their fourth loss in five games.
With the win, the Wizards took out another top team after beating San Antonio the previous night, ending a 17-game losing streak against the Spurs.
Rose was at his best right from the start, scoring 17 in the first quarter and nailing a half-court heave at the end of the period. The Bulls played the second half without Joakim Noah after he injured his right ankle.
Taj Gibson had just dunked to pull Chicago within 83-82 when Kris Humphries put back a vicious one-hander off a miss by Rasual Butler to start a 12-3 run that bumped the lead back up to 10.
Pierce capped that run with a 3-pointer to make it 95-85 with just over four minutes remaining.
The Bulls were within six after Aaron Brooks nailed one from long range. Wall answered with one of his own to make it 100-91 with 2:29 left.
Rose nailed three 3-pointers and hit 7 of 9 shots in a scorching first quarter as the Bulls built a 32-26 lead, and he ended it in spectacular fashion.
He raced up the left side after Washington’s Kris Humphries hit two free throws and swished a heave from just inside the half-court line, the crowd roaring as the ball fell through the net.
The Bulls lost Noah at the end of the half when he rolled his right ankle going for an offensive rebound. He came out for warmups, but Gibson started the third quarter in his place.
Noah’s injury aside, the Bulls appeared to be in good shape up 53-46 after Rose buried his fifth 3-pointer. But the Wizards responded with a 13-2 run.
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